Corrugated board knock-down box



Sept. 18, 1934. i H. DVENSEN 1,974,051

CORRUGATED BOARD KNOCK-DOWN BOX Filed June 6, 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 J1 ATTORNEY Sept. 18, 1934. DENSEN 1,974,061

, CORRUGATED BOARD KNOCK-DOWN BOX Filed June 6. 1952 s Sheets-SheetATTORNEY Sept. 18, 1934. H. DENSEN 1,974,061

CORRUGATED BOARD KNOCK-DOWN BOX Filed June 6, 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 ,1"BY 0 v Juan m-smfiw A TTORNEY Patented Sept. 18, 1934 UNi'rEo STATrennet iv PATENT i'fi This invention relates to knock-down or shippingboxes, particularly those made of corrugated board, and further, toblanks or cutout forms from which a shipping box may be assembled.

It is an object of my invention to provide a blank or cutout from whichcrates or baskets may be formed, for the shipment of fruits, vegetablesand similar commodities, from relatively inexpensive material, such ascorrugated board, so that the material from which the container will bemade may be shipped to various centers and occupy the minimum spaceduring shipment, to be subsequently assembled into final form as acontainer. It is contemplated by my invention to provide a cutout orblank from corrugated board, which may be quickly and faoilely assembledinto a container, the cutout portion or blank serving to form the wallsand cover member of a container in such association that the material,corrugated board, may be used to successfully supplement Wood,previously used for crates or baskets in the shipment ofiruits,vegetables and the like.

It is further contemplated by my invention to provide a knock downfolding box which will substantially supplement the wooden constructionof crates or baskets by forming a blank of corrugated board, the blankbeing cut out to form the walls and bottom of corrugated sheet, withother portions not defining the side walls, forming stiffening membersfor the Walls of the container, by positioning the portions of the blankto be overlapped so that the corrugations thereof are cross-grained tothe corrugations of an overlapping side wall.

It is a further object of my invention to provide a shipping containeror crate, to supplement crates or baskets of wood, made froma blank ofcorrugated board, the blank being formed to be readily and quicklyassembled when needed, and when so assembled, will impart maximumstiffening action and rigidity by the coordinating parts in theassembled container. 1

To attain these objects'and such further objects as may appear herein orbe hereinafter pointed out, I make reference to the accompanyingdrawings, forming a part hereof, in which- Figure 1 is a plan view of ablank made of, corrugated board, for one embodiment of my invention;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of an assembled container, with the lidforming portions thereof Figure 3 is a vertical section of the containerwhenfully assembled;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary section taken on the line 44 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a plan View of a blank of another embodiment of myinvention;

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the assembled container made from theblank disclosed in Figure 5, with the lids left open;

Figure '7 is a horizontal section taken immediately below the lid;

Figure 8 is a fragmentary vertical section of the completely assembledcontainer shown in Figure 6.

Making reference to the drawings, in the preferred embodiment of myinvention, I provide a sheet of corrugated board of the general typemade of a plurality of laminations of paper or pasteboard, havinginterposed between the two laminations a corrugated strip.

In the embodiment shown in Figure 1, 10 is the blank of such corrugatedboard, the blank being cut from a strip of corrugated board with V thecorrugations running transverse to the lon est dimensions. This blank isformed with score lines 11, defining substantially a square bottom 12.Score lines 13 are formed to cooperate with go the lines .11 and edges14, to form substantially trapezoidal side walls 15. Score lines 16 and17 cooperate with the score lines 11, to define trapezoidal end walls18. From the portion contiguous to each of the walls 18, there areformed lid 5 forming flaps 19, each being provided with score lines 20to either side thereof, forming folding flaps 21.

The material of the blank between the score lines 13 and 16 is severedto form a short fiap 22 and a wider flap 23, affixed to the walls 15 and18 respectively, toveither edges of these respective walls. The flap 22is in the general form of a trapezium. The fiap 23 is in the generalform of an irregular pentagon. Edges 24 are preferably out a distancefrom the score line 16 so that when the edges 24 are arranged inabutting relationship, substantially vertically, the two sections,

placed edge to edge, will conform to the dimensions of the trapezoidalside wall 15.

The edges 25 are formed at an angle to the score lines 16 so that whenfinally positioned in the container, they will coincide with the edge 14of the sides 15. Severance between the flaps 22 and 23 is along thebroken lines 26 and 27, so as 5 to retain as much material as possiblein the flap 22, without impairing the function previously ascribed tothe flaps 23.

With a blank as thus provided, to assemble the same into a container,the side walls 15 are raised substantially vertically by hinging thesame along the fold line 11. The flaps 22 are then each folded inwardlyalong score lines 13. In this position, the flaps 18 are then hingedalong the fold line 11, adjacent thereto, to substantially the verticalposition, whereupon the fiaps 23 are folded along the score line 16. Theflaps 23 are then disposed to the outer face of the side walls 15 andthe edges 24 are brought into abutting position. The score lines 13 and16 will then overlie each other, forming a reinforced corner. Theassembly is completed by passing staples 28, through the body of theflaps 23, and the side walls 15, the staples being upset on the innersurface of the walls 15. It will be observed that the corrugations ofthe blank in the walls 15 run substantially vertically and that when theflaps 23 have been folded into the plane of the walls 15, thecorrugations will be positioned horizontally or cross grained to thecorrugations of the wall 15. Thus, the positioning of the flaps 23,- asjust described, will reinforce the corrugations and stiffen the wall 15horizontally.

It will further be observed that the corrugations in the walls 18, whenthe container is completely formed, will lie substantially horizontally.The flaps 22, which are folded in the face of the wall 18, will liesubstantially vertically and thereby reinforce and stiffen the wall 18by the cross grained position of the corrugations in the walls 18 andfiaps 22, respectively. This position is assured by driving staples 28athrough the side walls 18 and into the flaps 22, crimping the prongs ofthe staples on the inner walls of the flaps 22, as will be readilyunderstood.

When the container is thus completed, and assembled, it may be filledwith the materials to be shipped, such as apples, vegetables or similarsubstances. The lids 19 are then folded in abutting position upon theedges 14, as more clearly shown in Figure 3, the lids 19 being of a sizeto overlap each other, as shown in Figure 3. When the lid is closed, atie strap 29 is wrapped around the entire container and the ends 30 arefastened by a crimped sleeve 31, of the character usually employed instrapping wooden containers.

In Figures 5, 6, 7 and 8 I have described a blank and containergenerally corresponding to an elongated bushel basket and formedgenerally of hexagonal configuration, instead of the squareconfiguration shown in Figures 1 to 4. In this embodiment, the blank 32is formed with six side walls 33, integrally united to the bottom 32, byscore lines 34. These side walls 33 are formed into trapezoidalconfiguration by score lines 35, each alternating wall 33 being formedwith short and long fiaps 36 and 37, respectively, having a relationshipto the trapezoidal Walls 33 in the manner as described in connectionwith the embodiment illustrated in Figures 1 to 4.

Two alternate walls 33 are formed with trapezoidal lid forming flaps 33and side fiaps 39,-integrally attached to the respective walls 33 alongfold lines 40. A third wall 33, alternately spaced from the walls towhich the lid forming flaps 38 are attached, is provided with anintegrally attached hexagonal lid 41, at the fold line 42. Folding flap43 is oppositely disposed to the fold line 42 on the hexagonal lidforming flap 41.

The assembly of this blank is substantially identical to the embodimentdisclosed and illusrated in Figures 1 to 4, being substantially as shownin Figures 6 to 8.

It will therefore be observed that though I have illustrated containersof four and six sides, respectively, similar containers may be made ofother polygonal contours, such as by making the same into octagons andsimilar equilaterally sided contours.

It will thus be observed that by the construction shown, I have provideda blank which will occupy the minimum amount of space in storage, sothat any number of these blanks may be shipped in superimposedrelationship until they are ready for use, whereupon they may be readilyassembled to form a container, merely by stapling in accordance with thedescription heretofore given. When so formed, the blanks serve toprovide extremely rigid containers, capable of holding, in bushel sizecontainers, as much as ninety pounds of vegetables, fruits or similarmerchandise, and when so formed, will resist the rigorous treatmentencountered in transportation. This I attribute tothe stiifening actionobtained in the method of assembling the side walls, flaps and edges inoverlying position and into abutting or overlapping position in engagingsuch flaps as 23, in the embodiment shown in Figures 1 to 4, andthecorresponding flaps shown in the embodiment illustrated in Figures 5 to8, and also to the cross grain relationship of the corrugations wherethe blank that is used is made from corrugated board.

It will also be observed that though in the preferred embodiment of myinvention I prefer to form the larger flaps 23 with edges 24, so thatwhen the blank is finally formed into a container, the edges 24 abuteach other, the material severed from theblank between the edge 24 andthe flap 22 may be retained to provide overlapping portions to'bestapled to the correspondingwall 15, in the completely assembledcontainer. In such construction, though the benefit of the abuttingrelationship of the edges 24 may not be derived to limit the assembly of'the container, neverthelessthese flaps, when folded in position, willhave the corrugations'thereof cross grained to thereby augment thestifiening fices or holes 44 may be formed, to assure that no dead airis entrapped and that a moist atmosphere, which may tend to causespoilage, will be minimized.

While in the embodiments I show a container which, in its cross section,is of equilateral, polygonal contour, and this is preferred by me,- Iintend to cover within thescope of my claims such polygonal figureswhich though necessarily not of equilateral configuration, embrace thestructural features inherent in the construction shown.

Having thus described my invention and illustrated its use, what I claimas new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A corrugated board box made from a blank having all the side walls ofidentical configuration and including a'top and bottom formed therefromof integral construction, the material of the blank between the edgesdefining the side walls being severed into a narrow flap and a wide flapby an irregularly out line, the narrow flap being formed into aconfiguration to provide sufficient material to provide a reinforcingcorner and carried by one pair of oppositely disposed side walls, thewide flap being formed into a configuration one edge of which extendsfor a length corresponding to one half of a side of the container andanother edge of which is in alignment with the top edge of the containerwhen in the box-folded position, said last mentioned wide flap beingcarried by another pair of oppositely disposed side walls, the edges ofthe second mentioned wide flaps meeting in buttjoint engagement when theblank is in the boxfolded position and top fiaps integral with saidwalls for forming a lid.

2. A corrugated board box made from a blank having all the side walls ofidentical configuration and including a top and bottom formed therefromof integral construction, the material of the blank between the edgesdefining the side walls being severed into a narrow flap and a wide flapby an irregularly out line, the narrow flap being formed into aconfiguration to provide sufficient material to provide a reinforcingcorner and carried by one pair of oppositely disposed side walls, thewide flap being formed into a configuration one edge of which extendsfor a length corresponding to one half of a side of the container andanother edge of which is in alignment with the top edge of the containerwhen in the box-folded position, said last mentioned wide flap beingcarried by another pair of oppositely disposed side walls, the edges ofthe second mentioned wide flaps meeting in butt joint engagement whenthe blank is in the boxfolded position and top flaps integral with saidwalls for forming a lid, the corrugations of said blank being arrangedin cross grained relationship so that when the flaps are folded into boxforming position the corrugations of the wider flaps will be arrangedcross grained to the corrugations of a side wall, forming at least apair of said side walls for substantially the full area thereof, into adouble layered, reinforced wall of cross grained corrugations.

3. A corrugated board box made from a blank having all the side walls ofidentical configuration and including a top and bottom formed therefromof integral construction, the material of the blank between the edgesdefining the side walls being severed into a narrow flap and a wide flapby an irregularly out line, the narrow fiap being formed into aconfiguration to provide sufficient material to provide a reinforcingcorner and carried by one pair of oppositely disposed side walls, thewide fiap being formed into a configuration one edge of which extendsfor a length corresponding to one half of a side of the container andanother edge of which is in alignment with the top edge of the containerwhen in the box-folded position, said last mentioned wide flap beingcarried by another pair of oppositely disposed side walls, the edges ofthe second mentioned wide flaps meeting in butt-joint engagement whenthe blank is in the box-folded position and top flaps integral with saidwalls for forming a lid, the corrugations of said blank being arrangedin cross grained relationship so that when the flaps are folded into boxforming position the corrugations of the wider flaps will be arrangedcross grained to the corrugations of a side wall, forming at least apair of said side walls for substantially the full area thereof, into adouble layered, reinforced wall of cross grained corrugations, thenarrow flaps being arranged as stiffening members for the verticalcorners and adjacent sides.

4. A corrugated board box made from a blank having all the side walls ofidentical configuration and including a top and bottom formed therefromof integral construction, the material of the blank between the edgesdefining the side walls being severed into a narrow flap and a wide flapby an irregularly out line, the narrow flap being formed into aconfiguration to provide sufficient material toprovide a reinforcingcorner and carried by one pair of oppositely disposed side walls, thewide flap being formed into a configuration one edge of which extendsfor a length corresponding to one half of a side of the container andanother edge of which is in alignment with the top edge of the containerwhen in the box-folded position, said last mentioned wide flap beingcarried by another pair of oppositely disposed side walls, the edges ofthe second mentioned wide flaps meeting in butt-joint engagement whenthe blank is in the box-folded position and top flaps integral with saidwalls for forming a lid, and fastening means uniting said narrow flapsto a side wall adjacent to the wall carrying the same and fasteningmeans uniting said wider flaps to each other and a side wall adjacent tothat carrying the said wide flaps.

5. A corrugated board box made from a blank having all the side walls ofidentical configuration and including a top and bottom formed therefromof integral construction, the material of the blank between the edgesdefining the side walls being severed into a narrow flap and a wide flapby an irregularly out line, the na row flap being formed into aconfiguration to provide sufficient material to provide a reinforcingcorner and carried by one pair of oppositely disposed side walls, thewide flap being formed into a configuration one edge of which extendsfor a length corresponding to one half of a side of the container andanother edge of which is in alignment with the topedge of the containerwhen in the box-folded position, said last mentioned wide flap beingcarried by another pair of oppositely disposed side walls, the edges ofthe second mentioned wide flaps meeting in buttjoint engagement when theblank is in the boxfolded position and top fiaps integral with saidwalls for forming a lid, the corrugations of said blank being arrangedin cross grained relationship so that when the flaps are folded into boxforming position the corrugations of the wider flaps will be arrangedcross grained to the corrugations of a side wall, forming at least apair of said side wallsfor substantially the full area thereof, into adouble layered, reinforced wall of cross grained corrugations andfastening means uniting said narrow flaps to a side walladiacent to thewall carrying the same and fastening means uniting said wider flaps toeach other and a side wall adjacent to that carrying the said widefiaps.

HARRIS DENSEN.

